Did Jesus Have Biological Brothers? (And if So, How Many?)

It would seem, according to several references in the Bible, that Jesus had siblings who were born to his mother Mary and his father Joseph. Jesus was, of course, the firstborn, though only Jesus was born to a virgin (Mary), conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit as God’s only “begotten” Son. According to the gospel accounts of Jesus’ family, there is mention of more than one brother (and some say sisters), but not all of the gospel writers mention a number or names. Let’s take a deeper dive into what is said about the children born to Mary and Joseph, learn how they fit into Jesus’ ministry story, and what certain faiths say about Jesus’ family according to tradition. 

Who Were the Brothers of Jesus Named in Scripture?

The following verses mention that Jesus had siblings, and some even name those individuals:

Matthew’s Gospel

• “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:55-56).
• “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50).

Mark’s Gospel

• ”Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him” (Mark 3:31).
• ”Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him” (Mark 6:3).

Luke’s Gospel

• ”Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd” (Luke 8:19).

John’s Gospel

• ”After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days” (John 2:12).
• ”Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do” (John 7:3).

While Matthew and Mark are the only ones to name Jesus' brothers (James, Joseph or Joses, Simon, and Judas) while also mentioning sisters, John and Luke mention mother and brothers generally (and don’t mention sisters). Does that mean that there is a contradiction?

No, as with many other examples in the four gospels, the writers had a different perspective on what they thought was important to include. However, when we look at all four together, we can conclude that Jesus and His disciples and followers said that he had (at least) four half-brothers (since they are named twice) and (at least) two half-sisters (since more than one sister was mentioned in more than one instance).

Were These Really His Biological Siblings or Something Else?

Some have theorized that Jesus did not have brothers and sisters who were born to Mary and Joseph after His incarnation. In the article, “Did Jesus Really Have Half-Siblings?”, David A. Croteau writes, “Three views emerged in early church history. First, that the brothers and sisters of Jesus were children of Mary and Joseph after Jesus was born (referred to as the Helvidian view). Second, that they were children of Joseph from a prior marriage to Mary (referred to as the Epiphanian view). Third, that they were first cousins of Jesus (the traditional Roman Catholic view).” Croteau goes on to argue that, “It is striking that nowhere in the New Testament, or the first two centuries of Christianity, are they referred to as Jesus’ cousins.”

If they weren’t biological siblings, or cousins/second cousins, then could they have been something else? It seems illogical that the term “brother” was being used in a sense of being a close friend, but some have suggested that as well. Why would it be a question for debate? We don’t doubt that Peter and Andrew were biological brothers, or that James and John were siblings, so why do we question Jesus’ half-siblings?

What Do Different Christian Traditions Teach about Jesus’ Family?

If there are differences of opinion, they seem to fall along Protestant and Catholic lines (with some exceptions). Protestant denominations tend to take the Bible at its word and believe what is written about the siblings, and if they focus on them, it’s to discuss how the siblings were or weren’t supportive of Jesus.

On the other hand, Catholics believe in the “perpetual virginity” of Mary. That would preclude her having any other children who would have been Jesus’ half-brothers and half-sisters. Though the Bible does not speak of her in this way, and, in fact, Mary makes a point in her Magnificat that “he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (Luke 1:48), Catholics revere her as maintaining her virginity into glory.

In her article, “Why Was Mary’s Virginity So Important?” Vivian Bricker writes, “Mary did not remain a virgin as Catholicism teaches. The teaching of the 'perpetual virginity' of Mary does not agree with the Word of God. There was nothing wrong with Mary having relations with Joseph after they were married.” Therefore, there is no need to explain away Jesus’ siblings. But what is relevant is whether these siblings believed in Him and if they were involved in His ministry.

How Do Jesus’ Siblings Fit into His Ministry Story?

Imagine growing up with Jesus and learning at some point that He was “different” than the rest of the kids in the family. Imagine too that you start to see that He does not behave in the same way as everyone else, and from the age of 12, begins to speak of God as His father. Calling God “Father” was not a common practice among the Israelites, except when speaking of God as the Father of His chosen nation (e.g., Isaiah 63:16).

When He began His ministry, Jesus’ siblings did not believe in Him. In fact, they thought he was crazy. “Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:20-21). They definitely were not followers or disciples at that point.

But we know the resurrection changed the mind of some, if not all of his siblings. The Book of Acts says that the believers gathered together after Jesus ascended back to heaven. “When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (Acts 1:13-14).

While not part of the original 12 disciples, two siblings–James and Jude (also known as Judas)–became apostles after the fact. James is credited with the Epistle of James in the New Testament and was an important figure in the early church as a member of the Jerusalem Council, where he helped mediate discussions regarding Jewish and Gentile Christians (Acts 15). Paul also mentions him in Galations 1:19, where he writes, “But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.” Jude is believed to be the author of the Book of Jude, as he introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” This suggests that Jude was trying to be humble, rather than flaunting the fact that his half-brother was the Son of God.

Though the New Testament does not give us details on the lives of all of Jesus’ siblings after the resurrection, early Christian tradition maintained that they were involved in spreading the gospel, and as was the case of many, some may have faced persecution or martyrdom for their faith. 

While we don’t know the exact number of half-siblings Jesus had (since we don’t know the exact number of sisters), we know that they went through an incredible faith transformation. Much like the disciples and other followers, their doubt and unbelief grew into devotion. And for some (if not all), their faith became a lifelong commitment to sharing the truth about the life, death, resurrection and ascension of their half-brother and Messiah Jesus. 

Image created using DALL.E 2024 AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.

Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).